the Performance History Page

I recorded my first CD, Bassics, on June 28, 2007. Since moving to N. IL, I have only played at a few 'blues jams' which is where I met Leivam Wantenmoore (aka Bruce Williams) who produced both Bassics and Classics at NIL studios.

Most of my equipment is in storage in WA since I came to N. IL to serve as full-time caregiver for my 85 year old mother-in-law. I rented the string bass I used for Bassics and liked it so much I bought it.

I am seeking venues here to perform my single acoustically but it is 'pretty slim pickins' so I am sort of semi-retired from professional music for now (not counting the CD, of course).

I did a few power-trio/dance gigs with The Greg Vinson Dance Band but mostly hosted the open mic at the Uptown Pub (about half those years) and attended the other regular open mics in PT:

• Upstage - (Mon or Wed at 7)
• Uptown - Tue at 9
• Sirens - Wed at 9
• Public House - Thu at 9

I was quite active musically in PT my first four years there. I also substitute taught in the schools (all levels and subjects). I even maintained a detailed list of my performances for the first four years, when I moved to Port Townsend from Oregon in August of 1995 as I began learning the web. Here is the archive:

Performance History for Port Townsend, WA
1999 - 1998 - 1997 - 1996 - 1995
Groups I was in, Venues in Port Townsend

I was a certified full-time music teacher in Oregon during these years and performed little. I spent 1994/95 in Myrtle Creek (Southern OR) where I taught Beginning and Middle School Band. The prior four years were in Maupin (Central OR) where I taught everything, Grade School, Middle School and High School, Band, Choir, General Music and Computers as well as leading the community band. I was in a little country band in Maupin that played maybe once a month and that kept me sane I think.

I studied computers, hardware and software for two years at Lane Community College in Eugene and then music education for four years at Oregon State University in Corvallis. I played in several weekend dance bands and also did my single in restaurants and coffee shops during these years.

I performed in my last full-time band (4-6 nights per week) during this time. I was stationed in Alaska from 1981 to 1983. I'm glad I visited but wouldn't want to live there.

I truly embraced a 'less is more' philosophy during this time and began to develop my single act in earnest. I had grown weary of the top 40 - Holiday Inn circuit lifestyle. I still played in various ensembles after this but my single began to dominate my performance schedule.

Starting with garage bands and working through to full-time Holiday Inn circuit. I was strictly an electric bass player and did not sing at all until toward the end of this time. I played guitar and percussion for the U.S. Army during this time (Oct 75-Oct 79). I joined the Army to earn enough to obtain the equipment I needed (a good bass and amp).

I began playing my dad's (pretty nice) Martin ukelele when I was about five. We always had a piano as well, which I plunked around on for as long as I can remember.

I began three years of formal guitar lessons at age seven. I didn't like it, being a small boy who would rather play, but a year after I quit (in fifth grade), the Beatles came out (the same year I discovered girls, and that some girls went crazy for musicians).

In junior high, I mopped floors and cleaned windows at the music store on Saturdays (the same one where I took guitar lessons earlier) and the owner taught me how to transpose key signatures and melodies. I've been writing arrangements ever since.

Most of what I remember was in the 60's so my high school years are a bit fuzzy. I remember that I was heavily into Band, Stage Band, Choir, Madrigals and all the musicals. I was also in the Santa Cruz Youth Symphony. My best friend played tenor sax and we jammed on the beach in and around Santa Cruz, CA a significant amount of time.